1. Basic Principles of Romanization

(2) Symbols other than Roman letters are avoided to the greatest extent possible.

2. Summary of the Romanization System

(1) Vowels are transcribed as follows :

simple vowels

simple vowels

ㅏ

ㅓ

ㅗ

ㅜ

ㅡ

ㅣ

ㅐ

ㅔ

ㅚ

ㅟ

a

eo

o

u

eu

i

ae

e

oe

w

diphthongs

diphthongs

ㅑ

ㅕ

ㅛ

ㅠ

ㅒ

ㅖ

ㅘ

ㅙ

ㅝ

ㅞ

ㅢ

ya

yeo

yo

yu

yae

ye

wa

wae

wo

we

ui

Note 1: ㅢ is transcribed as ui, even when pronounced as ㅣ.
Note 2: Long vowels are not reflected in Romanization.

(2) Consonants are transcribed as follows:

plosives (stops)

ㄱ

ㄲ

ㅋ

ㄷ

ㄸ

ㅌ

ㅂ

ㅃ

ㅍ

g, k

kk

k

d, t

tt

t

b, p

pp

p

affricates

affricates

ㅈ

ㅉ

ㅊ

j

jj

ch

nasals

nasals

ㄴ

ㅁ

ㅇ

n

m

ng

fricatives

fricatives

ㅅ

ㅆ

ㅎ

s

ss

h

liquids

liquids

ㄹ

r, l

Note 1 : The sounds ㄱ, ㄷ, and ㅂ are transcribed respectively as g, d, and b when they appear before a vowel; they are transcribed as k, t, and p when followed by another consonant or form the final sound of a word.
(They are Romanized as pronunciation in [ ].)

구미

Gumi

영동

Yeongdong

백암

Baegam

옥천

Okcheon

합덕

Hapdeok

호법

Hobeop

월곶[월곧]

Wolgot

벚꽃[벋꼳]

beotkkot

한밭[한받]

Hanbat

Note 2 : ㄹ is transcribed as r when followed by a vowel, and as l when followed by a consonant or when appearing at the end of a word. ㄹㄹ is transcribed as ll.

구리

Guri

설악

Seorak

칠곡

Chilgok

임실

Imsil

울릉

Ulleung

대관령[대괄령]

Daegwallyeong

3. Special Provisions for Romanization

(1) When Korean sound values change as in the following cases, the results of those changes are Romanized as follows:

① The case of assimilation of adjacent consonants

The case of assimilation of adjacent consonants

백마[뱅마]

Baengma

신문로[신문노]

Sinmunno

종로[종노]

Jongno

왕십리[왕심니]

Wangsimni

별내[별래]

Byeollae

신라[실라]

Silla

② The case of the epenthetic ㄴ and ㄹ

The case of the epenthetic ㄴ and ㄹ

학여울[항녀울]

Hangnyeoul

알약[알략]

allyak

③ Cases of palatalization

Cases of palatalization

해돋이[해도지]

haedoji

같이[가치]

gachi

굳히다[구치다]

guchida

④ Cases where ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, and ㅈ are adjacent to ㅎ

Cases where ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, and ㅈ are adjacent to ㅎ

좋고[조코]

joko

놓다[노타]

nota

잡혀[자펴]

japyeo

낳지[나치]

nachi

However, aspirated sounds are not reflected in case of nouns where ㅎ follows ㄱ, ㄷ, and ㅂ, as in the examples below.

However, aspirated sounds are not reflected in case of nouns where ㅎ follows ㄱ, ㄷ, and ㅂ, as in the examples below

묵호

Mukho

집현전

Jiphyeonjeon

Note: Tense (or glottalized) sounds are not reflected in cases where morphemes are compounded, as in the examples below.

Note: Tense (or glottalized) sounds are not reflected in cases where morphemes are compounded, as in the examples below

압구정

Apgujeong

낙동강

Nakdonggang

죽 변

Jukbyeon

낙성대

Nakseongdae

합 정

Hapjeong

팔 당

Paldang

샛 별

saetbyeol

울 산

Ulsan

(2) When there is the possibility of confusion in pronunciation, a hyphen '-' may be used.

중앙

Jung-ang

반구대

Ban-gudae

세운

Se-un

해운대

Hae-undae

(3) The first letter is capitalized in proper names.

The first letter is capitalized in proper names.

부산

Busan

세종

Sejong

(4) Personal names are written by family name first, followed by a space and the given name. In principle, syllables in given names are not separated by hyphen, but the use of a hyphen between syllables is permitted.

Personal names are written by family name first, followed by a space and the given name. In principle, syllables in given names are not separated by hyphen, but the use of a hyphen between syllables is permitted.

민용하

Min Yongha (Min Yong-ha)

송나리

Song Nari (Song Na-ri)

① Assimilated sound changes between syllables in given names are not transcribed

Assimilated sound changes between syllables in given names are not transcribed

한복남

Han Boknam (Han Bok-nam)

홍빛나

Hong Bitna (Hong Bit-na)

② Romanization of family names will be determined separately.

(5) Administrative units such as 도, 시, 군, 구, 읍, 면, 리, 동, and 가 are transcribed respectively as do, si, gun, gu, eup, myeon, ri, dong, and ga, and are preceded by a hyphen. Assimilated sound changes before and after the hyphen are not reflected in Romanization.

충청북도

Chungcheongbuk-do

제주도

Jeju-do

의정부시

Uijeongbu-si

양주군

Yangju-gun

도봉구

Dobong-gu

신창읍

Sinchang-eup

삼죽면

Samjuk-myeon

인왕리

Inwang-ri

당산동

Dangsan-dong

봉천1동

Bongcheon 1 (il) -dong

종로 2가

Jongno 2 (i) -ga

퇴계로 3가

Toegyero 3 (sam) -ga

Note: Terms for administrative units such as 시, 군, 읍 may be omitted.

청주시

Cheongju

함평군

Hampyeong

순창읍

Sunchang

(6) Names of geographic features, cultural properties, and man-made structures may be written without hyphens.

Names of geographic features, cultural properties, and man-made structures may be written without hyphens.

남산

Namsan

속리산

Songnisan

금강

Geumgang

독도

Dokdo

경복궁

Gyeongbokgung

무량수전

Muryangsujeon

연화교

Yeonhwagyo

극락전

Geungnakjeon

안압지

Anapji

남한산성

Namhansanseong

화랑대

Hwarangdae

불국사

Bulguksa

현충사

Hyeonchungsa

독립문

Dongnimmun

오죽헌

Ojukheon

촉석루

Chokseongnu

종묘

Jongmyo

다보탑

Dabotap

(7) Proper names such as personal names and those of companies may continue to be written as they have been previously.

(8) When it is necessary to convert Romanized Korean back to Hangeul in special cases such as in academic articles, Romanization is done according to Hangeul spelling and not pronunciation. Each Hangeul letter is Romanized as explained in section 2 except that ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㄹ are always written as g, d, b, l. When ㅇ has no sound value, it is replaced by a hyphen may also be used when it is necessary to distinguish between syllables.

When it is necessary to convert Romanized Korean back to Hangeul in special cases such as in academic articles, Romanization is done according to Hangeul spelling and not pronunciation. Each Hangeul letter is Romanized as explained in section 2 except that ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㄹ are always written as g, d, b, l. When ㅇ has no sound value, it is replaced by a hyphen may also be used when it is necessary to distinguish between syllables.